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Leading A 501(c)(3) All Volunteer Organization - A True Leadership Test
Bruce Griffiths M.S.
A 501(c)(3) is a nonprofit organization that has been recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt because it is organized and operated for specific charitable purposes.
For a number of years now, I have volunteered in a 501(c)(3) that fosters amateur sports competition and community service. In past career roles I have held formal leadership jobs. For example, I spent nearly 30 years in the US Coast Guard, and many more in corporate America, internally as a staff manager and externally leading my own consulting firm. Those roles came with the assigned rewards and sanctions authorized by the organization. For example, I had some control over pay, benefits, promotions, training opportunities, etc. But in volunteer organizations your primary authority is personal, that is you persuade followers because your integrity, communication skills, and expertise (e.g., French & Raven's power taxonomy). In other words, pure leadership is required since you cannot rely on formal threats or promises. Thus, your only influence comes from:
- your connection to, and competence in, the organization's core purpose (it's expertise)
- being a fair, open, and honest person
- your communicativeness (being articulate and available).
If famous leadership expert Warren Bennis is right, that "leadership is about relationships," then being a leader in a small, volunteer 501(c)(3) can also amplify how important human connection and communication are in building trust.
Note too, that working at the top of any organization automatically connects you to mission and strategy. A recent episode in my 501(c)(3) organization reminded me of Richard Beckhard's team model for diagnosing dysfunction GRPI (Goals, Roles, Processes, and Interpersonal Relations). We had a classic presenting symptom of interpersonal conflict, that when examined closely was precipitated by a misunderstanding of organizational purpose and goals. The conflict between members was simply a misunderstanding about organizational purpose.
As a volunteer leader you will also get to exercise all the essential skillsets needed to lead, i.e., what we call The Big Six competencies (i.e., Influence, Organizing & Planning, Relationship Building, Problem Solving, Communicativeness, and Drive/Energy). Here are some recent activities and challenges that have required these competencies as a member of the Board of Directors of my 501(c)(3):
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Planning and speaking at the Annual General Meeting for all members (Organizing & planning, Presentation Skills)
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Addressing a performance issue (Assertiveness, Informal Communication, Active Listening, Conflict Management)
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Acquiring a new core piece of equipment (Problem Solving & Decision Making, Financial Acumen)
The idea is clear, that if you do aspire to climb the leadership ladder, then doing so in a volunteer organization can test and build the necessary competencies.
To learn more about the Big Six and OSI's Polaris® Competencies, please click here ( https://orgsysint.com/) or contact Crystal Matsuura at OSI at cmatsuura@orgsysint.com.
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